Frame for printing photographic pictures



UNITED STATES PATENT @erica T. E. SEXTON, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE.

FRAME FOR PRINTING PHOTOGRAPHlC PECTURES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. ell, dated May l, 1866.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, T. E. SEXTON, ot' filniington, Delaware, haveinvented certain Improvements in PhotographicPrinting-Frames; and I dohereby declare the following to be a 'ull, clear, and exact descriptionot` the saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and tothe letters of reference marked thereon.

Myinvention consists in certain devices con` structed and applied to aphotographic printin g-franie, as fully described hereinafter, so thatpictures of any desired tone and sharpness of outline may be printed onrigid plates.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to make and use myinvention, I will now pro ceed to describe its construction andoperation.

On reference to the accompan yingdrawin gs, which form a part ot' thisspecication, Figure 1 is a plan viewof my improved frame for printingphotographic pictures; Fig. 2, the same with some of the parts removed,Fig. 3,a section on the line l 2,Fig.`l'; Fig. 4, anin- Verted plan viewand Fig. 5 a section on the line 3 4, Fig. fl, drawn to an enlargedscale.

A is an oblong wooden traine, at the inner edge of which is a ledge orprojection, a., and on the latter rests the usual glass negativeplate B.

On the glass plate B, within the frame, rest two boards, C C', which arehinged together and padded on their under sides, and to the frame arehinged two spring-plates, D D, each of which is retained in contact withthe upper surface of one of the boards C C bya spring'- catch, d,secured to the side of the frame.

On the plate B, between one edge ot' the board C and the side y of theframe, rests a wooden strip, F, against the upper side ot which bears aspring-plate, D', the latter being hinged to the frame at one end andconned at the opposite end by a spring-catch, d.

In the side y of the frame turn two setscrews, Gr G', the ends of whichbear against the side of the strip F.

Through slots 00 a: in a metal plate, H, at the under side of thefra-ine A, pass bolts I I, the heads of the bolts being brought againstthe plate by thumb-nuts J J, which screw onto the opposite ends of thebolts and bear on the adjacent side of the traine. The heads of thebolts are so formed that when turned in one direction they can be passedthrough the slots :c x. The opposite edges ofthe plate H are turneddown, as shown in'Fig. 5, and the edge ot each of theseturned-downportions m is bent so as to form a channel for the reception ot' oneedge of a grouinl-glass plate, Z.

In the plate H are two openings, (indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 4,)which are covered by cards K l', the latter being confined at the endsbetween the turned-down portions mm and the body ot the plate, and ineach card is an oval opening, n, for a purpose described hereinafter.

A colored-glass or porcelain plate, X,on which a photograph is to beprinted, is placed with its prepared side againstthe negative plate B,one side edge being brought against the inner edge ot' the frame and thelower edge bearing against the strip F, the plateXbeing of such a sizeas to cover the design on the negative plate.

lf it should be found that the edges of the plate X are not at rightangles to cach other, the setscrews G G are turned until the edge ot thestrip F touches that ot' the plate at all points, as shown in Fig. 2.The spring-plate D is then turned down and secured by the catch d', thestrip F and negative plate B being thus iirmly held in their places.

The hinged boards G C are then introduced into the frame, the board Cbearing on the plate X, and the springs D D are turned down and securedby the catches d d, the springs bearing on the boards and coniinin gthem and the plate X securely in their positions.

It' it is desirable to print a vignette picture, the plate I-I and thecard K are so adjusted that the light may only fall on that part of theplate containing the portion of the design to be printed. The groundglass Z is then brought above the card K and the frame is exposed to thesun in the usual manner.

Then the operator wishes to ascertain the condition of the print hedraws back the springcatch d, so as to release the spring D, above theboard C. The latter is then turned back and the plate X is removed andthe print exaniined.

Should it be necessary to again expose the plate to the light it isplaced on the plate B, as before, care being taken to bring the edges ofthe plate closely against those of the frame and strip F. The board C isthen turned down and secured by the spring-plate D, and the plate isexposed to the sun as before.

It is extremely difticult with the frames at present used to print adistinct picture on a rigid plate, as it is impossible to always returnthe plate, after examination, to the exact position itpreviouslyoccupied. And when it is endeavored to overcome thisdifficulty by avoiding any removal of the plate and relying on thejudgment of the operator to determine the proper length of time toexpose the same the picture is very apt to be either too dark or toolight in color.

I have ascertained from many practical experiments that by means oftheabove-described frame the plate may' be examined as often as necessary,and after examination can invariably be returned to the exact positionit previously occupied, and that a printof the exact depth of colorrequired may thus be produced without detracting in the least from thesharpness of4 the outline.

It willbe apparentthat two adjustable strips, F, may be used, one neareach end of the fram e, or that they may be placed at the sides of theframe.

By the use of the spring-plates D and catches d the ordinary clumsy andinecient buttons and setscrevvs are dispensed with, while the boards aremore firmly secured, and there is less danger of breaking the glassplates.

When vignette pictures are not required the plate H may be quicklyremoved by loosening the nuts J and turning the bolts I so that theirheads can pass through the slots x.

It will be apparent that the plate Hmay be applied to frames of theordinary construction.

Without confining myself to the exact construction and arrangement ot'parts herein d'escribed,

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A strip,F, applied to and rendered adjustable in a photograph-frame,substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

In testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

T. E. SEXTON.

Witnesses:

C. B. PRICE, GHARLEs E. Fos'rER.

